Coin collecting system

ABSTRACT

Coins deposited in the coin-receiving units of coin-operated machines drop into manifolds communicating with the receiving units and a remote collection area. Liquid is continuously or periodically flushed through the manifold and carries the coins through the manifold and into the collection area where the coins are separated from the liquid.

United States Patent 1191 Manzer 14 Sept. 10, 1973 1 COIN COLLECTING SYSTEM 2,030,313 2/1936 Murtaugh 194/4 R 5] In e to Marvin R. Maul", Rockford, I". 96,187 10/1869 Beach 302/2 R [73] Assignee: Reed Industries, Inc., Rockford, 111. Pri Examiner-Even C. Blunk 22 d: F 14 1972 Assistant Examiner-Hadd Lane l I e e Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voit & Osann, [21] Appl. No.: 226,026 Ltd.

[52] US. Cl. 302/2 R, 302/16 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. 865g 53/00 58 Field of Search 302/14 15 16 2 R- delmmed 194/4 23'2" operated machines drop into manifolds communicating with the receiving units and a remote collection area. Li uid is continuous! or eriodicall flushed throu h 5 R f 9 Y P y g UNITE]; gszz g gie the manifold and carries the coins through the manifold 3 419 209 12/1968 M and into the collection area where the coins are sepaunn 232/1 R t d f h 1' 'd 3,151,540 10/1964 Van Der Wind en m e mm e lqm 1,839,480 1/1932 Hockriem 194/98 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures I COIN COLLECTING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to coin-operated machines wherein the machines are actuated by depositing coins in coin-receiving units mounted on the machines. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for collecting the coins from the receiving units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general object of the present invention is to provide a novel coin collecting system in which the coins deposited in the receiving units are automatically removed and transported away from the machines to a remote collection area to prevent the theft of coins from the receiving units.

A more detailed object is to achieve the foregoing through the provision of a system in which the coins are dropped from the receiving units into a pipe which is then flushed with liquid to wash the coins through the pipe and into the collection area.

A further object is to provide a system in which the liquid may be recirculated through the pipe after the coins have been separated from the liquid.

The invention also resides in the novel manner of controlling the flushing of the system to wash the coins through the pipe and in the unique way in which the coins are separated from the liquid at the collection area.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the present invention is embodied in a coin collecting system 10 particularly suitable for use in business es tablishments employing a plurality of coin-operated machines such as vending machines, amusement devices, service machines and the like which are adapted for self-service use by customers. Herein, the system is shown as incorporated in a laundry service center containing several banks of coin-operated washing and drying machines 11 and 13 (see FIG. 1).

To start the operation of the machines 11 and 13, a customer inserts coins 21 into coin-receiving units or receivers 14 mounted within'housings l5 fastened to the machines (see FIG. 3), there usually being one receiver for each machine. The coins are placedwithin holes 16 in a slide 17 extending out of the housing and, once inserted, permit the slide to be pushed into the housing. As the slide is pushed into the housing, the inner end 19 of the slide trips a start switch 20 to actuate the machine. At the same time, the coins drop from the plunger into the housing.

In most of the prior coin-receivers of this type, the coins 21 are left within the housing 15 for subsequent collection by an attendant. By the nature of a coinoperated business, it is not always practical to have an attendant on duty within the business establishment. Consequently, such establishments often fall victim to thieves who break into the coin receivers and steal the money contained therein.

In accordance with the primary aspect of the present invention, a unique coin collecting system 10 is used to transport the coins 21 away from the coin receivers 14 and to a remote collection area 23 to prevent the theft of coins from the receivers. For this purpose, the system includes manifolds 24 communicating with the receivers and the collection area. Coins inserted into the receivers drop by gravity into the manifolds and liquid from a source 25 is forced through the manifolds to wash the coins into the remote collection area where they are separated from the liquid. With this arrangement, the coins from several receivers are transported automatically to the remote area thereby eliminating the accumulation of coins within the receivers and the possible theft of coins from the receivers.

In the present instance, one of the manifolds 24 extends behind each bank of machines 11 and 13 to the remote area 23 which herein is disposed within a walkin vault 26 to provide added protection against the loss of money. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, each of the manifolds includes upstanding tubes 27 leading from a substantially horizontal flush pipe 29 to each of the coin receivers 14 in its respective bank of machines. In those instances where two banks of machines 11 are positioned back to back, the tubes from the receivers in each bank communicate with a common pipe. Thus, both banks of machines utilize the same pipe to transport the coins 21 to the vault.

As shown in FIG. 3, each of the tubes 27 includes a flared upper end 30 disposed within the receiver housing 15 beneath the inner end portion of the slide 17. The lower ends of the tubes communicate with the flush pipe 29 through openings 31 spaced along the pipe. Thus, as the coins 21 drop from the slides, they fall by gravity through the tubes and into the pipe.

Once in one of the pipes 29, the liquid drawn from the source 25 washes the coins 21 through the pipe for discharge through an outlet 33 within the vault 26. Herein, the liquid used to transport the coins through each of the flush pipes is water and the source is a sump 25 located beneath the collected outlets 33 of all of the pipes. The water is drawn from the sump by an electrically operated pump 35 which communicates with each of the flush pipes through lines 36 to complete a closed system. Preferably, the pump serves to supply the water at a preselected pressure to the lines by drawing the water from the sump so that the water flows through the flush pipes with sufficient force to move the coins. Advantageously, the flush pipes are of a diameter sufficiently large enough that they need not be filled with water under pressure so high as to cause a back up of water into tubes 27. Thus, the water flowing through the pipes forms, in effect, high velocity streams partially filling the pipes to wash the coins through the pipes and out of the outlets 33. In instances where the banks of machines 11 and 13 are quite long or where many tubes connect into the sampe pipe, additional water may be forced into that pipe through several short pipes 37 connected in parallel between the supply line 36 and the pipe as shown in FIG. 1.

To control the flushing operation, several arrangements can be used to actuate the pump 35 and three such arrangements are described briefly herein. One type of control arrangement which is suitable for use in the present system employs a sensor (not shown) for detecting the start of the automatic cycle of the machines 11 and 13. The sensor emits a signal to start the pump so that the system is flushed just after the coins 21 are deposited in the receivers 14 whereby a build up of coins in the manifolds 24 is avoided. One way to detect the start of the washing machines 11 is to install a pressure-responsive switch in a water line leading to the washing machine so that an electrical signal for starting the pump is produced in response to a drop of pressure in the line as the water flows into the machines at the beginning of a cycle. In another type of control system, a clock timer (not shown) may be set to start the pump 35 at preselected time intervals. Still another arrangement may cause the pump to operate continuously to produce a constant flow of liquid through the system so that the coins are swept away immediately upon dropping into the pipes 29.

To separate the coins 21 from the water as it discharges from the pipes 29, a strainer 39 is mounted within the vault 26 below the outlets 33. Herein, the strainer is a basket formed of a mesh which is large enough to allow the free flow passage therethrough of the water while at the same time catching and retaining the coins. After the water flows through the strainer, it drops into the sump for recirculation through the system 10 by the pump 35. If it is desired not to recirculate the water, it may be drained away and fresh water may be supplied to the system.

Preferably, the strainer 39 is mounted to pivot beneath the pipe outlets 33 so that it may be tipped to dump out the collected coins 21 for sorting and counting. To facilitate sorting and counting of the coins, the latter may be dumped into the coin-receiving funnel 40 of an automatic coin sorter and counter 41 (shown schematically in FIG. 1 There the coins may be sorted according to value with a portion thereof serving as refill for currency changers 43 mounted in the wall of the vault for access by customers. The remainder of the sorted and counted coins may be bagged preparatory to being deposited in a bank.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the unique coin collecting system 10 of the present invention prevents coins from being stolen from the coin-receivers 14 by transporting the coins away from the receivers shortly after being deposited therein by customers. This is accomplished in a novel manner by utilizing water to carry the coins through the manifolds 24 and to the vault 26 where coins from all of the receivers are accumulated for safekeeping prior to banking.

I claim as my invention:

1. A system for transporting coins deposited in the coin-receiving units of a plurality of coin-operated machines to a remote collection area secured against access by unauthorized persons, said system including a main pipe located below said coin receiving units and having no substantial upward incline from the horizontal upon proceeding from said machines to said secured area, an outlet located at one end of said pipe and within said secured area, a plurality of upstanding tubes communicating at their upper ends with said coin receiving units and at their lower ends with said main pipe whereby coins deposited in said receiving units drop by gravity through said tubes and into the main pipe, a source of liquid, pump means communicating with said source and said pipe and adapted to be actuated intermittently to force liquid from said source into said pipe to wash the dropped coins through the pipe and to said secured area, said pipe being free of any restriction preventing direct contact of the liquid with the coins so the latter are carried through the pipe solely by the liquid, and means in the secured area and located below said outlet for separating the coins from the liquid.

2. A system as defined by claim 1 wherein said separating means comprises a strainer adapted to catch the coins discharged from the outlet while permitting the liquid to flow through the strainer, said strainer being movable relative to said outlet to facilitate removal of the coins from the strainer.

3. A method of collecting coins deposited in the coinreceiving unit of a coin-operated machine in an area remote from said machine and secured against access by unauthorized persons, said method comprising the steps of, dropping the coins from the receiving unit into a pipe having an outlet disposed within said secured area, intermittently washing a liquid through the pipe, conveying the coins through the pipe and toward the outlet solely with said liquid and along a path having no substantial upward incline from the horizontal as such path proceeds downstream of said machine, dropping said coins and said liquid from said outlet into a strainer located in said secured area below said outlet, and separating the coins from the liquid with the strainer.

i i I8 1 

1. A system for transporting coins deposited in the coinreceiving units of a plurality of coin-operated machines to a remote collection area secured against access by unauthorized persons, said system including a main pipe located below said coin receiving units and having no substantial upward incline from the horizontal upon proceeding from said machines to said secured area, an outlet located at one end of said pipe and within said secured area, a plurality of upstanding tubes communicating at their upper ends with said coin receiving units and at their lower ends with said main pipe whereby coins deposited in said receiving units drop by gravity through said tubes and into the main pipe, a source of liquid, pump means communicating with said source and said pipe and adapted to be actuated intermittently to force liquid from said source into said pipe to wash the dropped coins through the pipe and to said secured area, said pipe being free of any restriction preventing direct contact of the liquid with the coins so the latter are carried through the pipe solely by the liquid, and means in the secured area and located below said outlet for separating the coins from the liquid.
 2. A system as defined by claim 1 wherein said separating means comprises a strainer adapted to catch the coins discharged from the outlet while permitting the liquid to flow through the strainer, said strainer being movable relative to said outlet to facilitate removal of the coins from the strainer.
 3. A method of collecting coins deposited in the coin-receiving unit of a coin-operated machine in an area remote from said machine and secured against access by unauthorized persons, saiD method comprising the steps of, dropping the coins from the receiving unit into a pipe having an outlet disposed within said secured area, intermittently washing a liquid through the pipe, conveying the coins through the pipe and toward the outlet solely with said liquid and along a path having no substantial upward incline from the horizontal as such path proceeds downstream of said machine, dropping said coins and said liquid from said outlet into a strainer located in said secured area below said outlet, and separating the coins from the liquid with the strainer. 